Jeff D. Hamann wrote:
>> 1) If I try installing FreeBSD, will I be using much of the information
> about the drivers etc. from linux (linux binary compat, etc.)?
Not really at all, AFAIK.
> 2) I've tried getting FreeBSD (4.9, 5.X, <6.2) to work before on this
> laptop and couldn't even get the NIC to light up (neither of them) and
> the system doesn't have a floppy drive, so getting downloaded files onto
> the machine is tough, at best. When I tried using the USB stick, the
> machine would reboot each time I removed the stick. A no-go for use in
> my book. Are these troubles fixed in the 6.2?
>
Has it a CD-ROM drive? Certainly that's the quickest way to
install FreeBSD, as most other OSes. Plus, you could download
the latest FreeSBIE Live CD (www.freesbie.org) and see for yourself
if the machine will work with a fairly up-to-date codebase. I
believe that the latest FreeSBIE is using 6.2-RELEASE as a base.
I've got a USB "pen drive" that works fine and has for some time.
OTOH, I've got a "treo" like device that causes panics, last I
checked, and so I'm not using it much anymore. For the most
part, I've had little trouble at all with USB devices on FBSD.
> 3) Will I be generating a one time thing by installing BSD on this
> laptop using the linux guide or are there others that need this
> information. I don't mind spending some time (I do have to get real work
> done) if it benefits others, but I don't have the time, if I can spend
> it better (like earning income!)
Use the FreeBSD Handbook. (http://www.freebsd.org/handbook). The
work has already been done for you ;-)
> 3) Is this really worth the trouble, or does anyone have any experience
> with gentoo that they're willing to share that is convincing enough to
> simply forget this exercise and move on :-(
I dropped Windows for FreeBSD 3 years ago (give or take) and have
hardly looked back.
You might wish to Google for "freebsd laptop compatibility list" (there
are a couple out there) and see if your make/model is on any of them.
Also, try mailing the mobile list (freebsd-mobile at freebsd.org) and
maybe the chat list (freebsd-chat at freebsd.org) and asking if anyone
has experience with this particular model.
Good luck!
Kevin Kinsey
--
Good news from afar can bring you a welcome visitor.